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Murder In Cheesman Park

by Kenneth N. Brown

Murder In Cheesman Park is a good story. As for how it's told – well, some people have it and some don't. Author Kenneth N. Brown doesn't. He would be better advised to stick to his business of accounting. Unlike Robin Cook, who also doesn't write well but has nonetheless a large following, Kenneth N. Brown doesn't have either the very exciting background of the hospital or a major New York publisher to hype the sales of his books. Mr. Brown's narration, like his main occupation of accounting, is dry, uninspired, and rather boring to most. He doesn't really get going until the final chapters.

In spite of a fine overall concept, the story drags, and seems to jerk you from one focus to another.

Greg Forman is a Private Investigator, finally able to secure a divorce from his wife Marilyn, who's a looker and unfortunately knows it. She's been having an extramarital affair with someone else named Dave Howell. Then Greg reads a story in the local paper that tells of the murder of his wife's lover. First the police accuse him of the murder, because the twenty-two caliber gun that killed him was registered to Greg; but when he tells them it was only one of a pair and that his ex-wife had the other one, they accuse her. And the evidence for Marilyn committing the murder seems to be enough, since not only are her fingerprints on the gun, but there's evidence in a little-used room in her house that the murder was committed there before the body was taken and dumped in Cheesman Park.

Greg finds himself helping to defend his ex-wife. In the process, he gets mixed up with a drug ring, travels to Mexico, and eventually discovers evidence pointing to someone else. All this while becoming involved first with a woman and her young son, who begins to call Greg 'Dad' – then another young woman from Mexico. Murder In Cheesman Park ends with a courtroom scene in which Greg dramatically proves his ex-wife's innocence.

There's no question that Kenneth N. Brown has the good basics of a murder-mystery story here. But his ability to write smoothly and seamlessly as well as the amateurish way he deals with the plot places this author near the bottom of my list. Maybe if you're a CPA, or a first-time reader of murder mysteries, or perhaps less picky than I am, you'll enjoy this book. Otherwise, I'd say don't bother.

Alan Paul Curtis

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